William Waldorf Astor

William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor
Born	Template:Birth date New York City, United States
Died	October 18, 1919(1919-10-18) (aged 71) Brighton, Sussex, England
Occupation(s)	Lawyer, politician, diplomat, hotel owner, publisher, philanthropist
Years active	1875–1919
Known for	Founder of Waldorf Hotel; British peerage as Viscount Astor; publisher of Pall Mall Gazette and The Observer

William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor (31 March 1848 – 18 October 1919) was an American-born lawyer, politician, diplomat, hotel owner, publisher, and philanthropist who later became a British nobleman. Originating from the affluent Astor family of New York City, he moved to England in 1891, acquired British citizenship in 1899, and was ennobled as Baron Astor in 1916 and subsequently Viscount Astor in 1917 in recognition of his wartime charitable efforts. The community of Waldorf, Maryland bears his name.

Early life and education

Born in New York City as the sole offspring of financier and benefactor John Jacob Astor III and Charlotte Augusta Gibbes, William Waldorf Astor received his early education through private tutors and a governess across Germany and Italy.

He returned to the United States to pursue higher studies, obtaining an LL.B. degree from Columbia Law School in 1875. That same year, he was admitted to the U.S. Bar and briefly practiced law while overseeing his father’s financial and property interests.

Personal life

On 6 June 1878, Astor married Mary Dahlgren Paul. Together they had five children:

• Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor (1879–1952)
• Pauline Astor (1880–1972), who wed politician Herbert Spender-Clay in 1904; they had three daughters.
• John Rudolph Astor (1881), who died during infancy.
• Lt. Col. John Jacob Astor V, 1st Baron Astor of Hever (1886–1971)
• Gwendolyn Enid Astor (1889–1902), who passed away at a young age.

Politics

Astor sought to carve out a political identity independent of his family fortune. In 1877, he embarked on a political career as a Republican in New York City, serving first in the New York State Assembly (1878) and then in the New York State Senate (1880–1881), likely with backing from Republican leader Roscoe Conkling.

In recognition of him, the Maryland General Assembly renamed Beantown in Charles County to "Waldorf" in 1880.

Astor made unsuccessful bids for the United States Congress in 1881 and again later; his reserved demeanor limited his ability to withstand political criticism. These electoral losses effectively ended his political pursuits amid unfavorable media coverage.

In 1882, President Chester A. Arthur appointed him as Minister to Italy, a role he fulfilled until 1885. During his time in Rome, he developed a lifelong appreciation for art and sculpture.

Move to England

Following the death of his father in February 1890, Astor inherited a vast fortune that made him America’s second wealthiest individual after John D. Rockefeller.

That same year, he commenced construction of the grand 13-story Waldorf Hotel on the site of his former residence, which overshadowed the mansion of his aunt Caroline "Lina" Schermerhorn Astor. Lina opposed this commercial venture; however, in 1897 her son John Jacob Astor IV replaced their family home with the Astoria Hotel, which operated as an extension of the Waldorf. Together these hotels formed the renowned Waldorf-Astoria Hotel complex.

The rivalry intensified as Lina asserted social precedence over William’s wife Mary within New York society. This familial discord motivated Astor to relocate with his family to England. Initially renting Lansdowne House in London until 1893, he then purchased the Cliveden estate in Buckinghamshire from the Duke of Westminster. By 1899, he had naturalized as a British citizen, further distancing himself from American affairs.

In pursuit of privacy in 1892, Astor orchestrated a false report of his own death circulated by his staff to American newspapers; however, this deception was swiftly uncovered and mocked.

By 1895, he had erected an elaborate $1.5 million gothic-style mansion at London's Two Temple Place, designed by architect John Loughborough Pearson. This Tudor-inspired building overlooking the Thames served as his administrative headquarters for managing extensive business interests.

Astor expanded his media holdings in London by acquiring the Pall Mall Gazette in 1892 and founding Pall Mall Magazine in 1893. In 1911, he purchased The Observer, later transferring ownership and control of these publications to his son Waldorf Astor by 1914.

In 1903, he bought the historic Hever Castle Estate near Edenbridge, Kent. He invested heavily in restoring both castle and grounds, including developing a "Tudor Village," lake features, gardens, and an Italian Garden designed to display his collection of statuary.

In 1906, upon his son Waldorf’s marriage to Nancy Witcher Langhorne, he presented them with the Cliveden estate along with the famous Sancy diamond. Nancy Astor would later become Britain’s first female Member of Parliament.

Building on his hotel ventures from New York, Astor financed the establishment of London’s Waldorf Hotel located in the West End in 1908.

Philanthropy and Peerage

After becoming a British citizen in 1899, Astor maintained his commitment to philanthropy. He generously supported prominent organizations, including the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street with a $250,000 donation in 1903, and University College London, where he contributed £20,000 in 1902 to establish professorships. His charitable efforts extended to the Cancer Research Fund, Oxford University, Cambridge University, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the British Red Cross Society, Gordon Memorial College in Khartoum, the Soldiers and Sailors Families Association, and the Women's Memorial to Queen Victoria. During wartime, his financial aid included $125,000 each to the Prince of Wales's National Relief Fund and Princess Louise's Officers' Families Fund, $200,000 to the British Red Cross, $25,000 for Queen Mary's Employment Committee, as well as comparable contributions to the Lord Mayor's National Bands Fund. Beginning in 1897, he also provided an annual sum of $5,000 to King Edward's Hospital Fund.

In acknowledgment of his extensive charitable work, Astor was awarded a hereditary peerage on 1 January 1916 as Baron Astor, followed by a promotion to Viscount Astor on 3 June 1917. This advancement stirred debate due to perceptions that his wealth influenced his acceptance into British nobility.

Death

Astor passed away suddenly due to heart failure on 18 October 1919 at his coastal home in Brighton, Sussex. His remains were placed beneath the marble flooring of the Astor family chapel—known as the Octagon Temple—located at Cliveden.

Written Works

• Valentino: An Historical Romance of the Sixteenth Century in Italy (1885)
• Sforza, a Story of Milan (1889)
• Pharaoh's Daughter and Other Stories (1890)
• The Astor Collection of Illuminated Manuscripts: Auction in London, 21st June 1988, Sotheby's, showcasing twenty manuscripts from William Waldorf Astor’s collection once housed at Cliveden and deposited with the Bodleian Library; sold under direction of the Astor family Trustees.

External links

• Features information regarding William Waldorf Astor.
• Provides details about William Waldorf Astor.
• William Waldorf Astor papers held at the New-York Historical Society

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